Grading and ditching machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. C. BENNETT 8v M. G. BUNNELL.

GRADINGAND DITGHING MACHINE.

N. PETERS. Pmmmbugnplwr. washingtnmbic (No Mom.) 3 sham-sheet 2. J. C.BENNETT & Mv. G. BUNNELL.

GRADING AND lDI'ICHIN-G MACHINE.

u Pneus mwmnqmpmr. waning 0.x;

(No Model.) i 3 Sheets-Sheet. 3.

J. G. BENNETT au M. G. BUNNBLL. n GRADING AND DITGHING MACHINE.

Np. 394,907. Ptemednea. 18,1883.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

JAMES C. BENNETT AND MORTON G. BUNNELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORSTO FREDERICK C. AUSTIN, OF SAME PLACE.

GRADING AND DITCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,90*?, datedDecember 18, 1888.

y Application filed April 24, 1888. Serial No. 271,724. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES C. BENNETT and MORTON G. BUNNELL, bothcitizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Grading and Ditching Machines, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to the construction of elevators employed ingrading and ditching machines for conveying the soil from a plow or thelike to a point proper for discharging such soil, and is particularlydesigned as an improvement in elevators .for ditching and grading'machines of that class in which a portion of the elevator is suspendedbelow the main body-frame of the machine and the remaining portion ofthe elevator extended out from one side of the machine, so that inroad-` making the distance from the plow to the dis charge end of theelevator can be adapted to the required width of road. n OwingI to thegreat size of these machines and the power required to propel or drawthe same over the ground, it is desirable to provide as light aVconstruction of elevator as maybe compatible with necessary strength andrigidity, and this is particularly desirable with regard to theextension portion of the elevai or that extends from one side of themachine, since the weight of such portion of the elevator necessarilytends to pull the machine over to one side, and hence must be resistedby a proportionally heavy and. strong construction of wheeledbody-frame. It is also desirable to prevent the dirt from getting ontothe lower fold or leaf of the endless conveyer-belt.

The objects of our invention are to provide a light, strong', andsimplified construction of elevator; to provide improved means forsupporting rolls that are employed for upholding the upper and lowerleaves of the endless conveyer-belt; to provide simplitied and eflicientmeans for preventing the deposit of loose soil upon the lower leaf ofthe eonveyer-belt, and to provide certain improved details all tendingto simplify and otherwise improve the construction and generalserviceability of the elevator.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other useful ends our inventionconsists in inat- 4, Fig. Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line .5 5, Fig.3. Fig. 6 represents in perspective a portion of the conveyer-belt, andillustrates a construction of separable joint or fastening device bywhich the meeting ends of such lengths as the belt may comprise can betemporarily fastened together. Fig.7 represents a section taken throughFig. 6 on the line 7 7.

Fig. 8 represents a portion of one of the hookplates of thebelt-fastening device. Fig. 9 represents in perspective, on a somewhatlarger scale than the preceding figures, the upper or delivery-endportion of the elevator with the belt removed.

The elevator comprises in its structure a frame, which is made ofappropriate length and provided at desired points with bearings for thejournals of such rolls as may be required .for supporting and driving anendless elevator belt or apron arranged to receive the plowed-up soil atthe receiving end of the elevator and carry the same to the delivery endof the elevator, which may be raised, as usual, to a proper height.

-The elevator-frame is preferably divided transversely into two or moresections, the elevator herein shown being provided with a frame which isdivided into a couple of lengths or sections that are hinged together,in order that the first or lower section may be suspended under thebody-frame of a grading and ditching machine in proper relationship to aplow, while the upper or next higher section may be extended out fromeither the rear end or one side of the machine and tilted so as to raiseand lower the delivery end of the elevator.

The elevator-frame B,considered as a whole, is formed by two parallelbars, h, which are firmly connected together and likewise rigidly IOOheldat a proper distance apart by any suitable arrangement ofcross-bars-such, for example, as the diagonally-arranged bars 13'-whereby the elevator may be said to comprise a single frame incontradistinction to a construction involving two parallel frames.

The side bars of the elevator-frame B are herein shown dividedv intolengths in correspondence with the required lengths of the sectionswhich are connected together at their meeting ends to provide asuitably-jointed frame. Itis understood, however, that the frame is notnecessarily thus divided and jointed, since for smaller machines, f orexample, the elevator-frame may be composed of a single length, wherebythe jointing of such frame can be dispensed with. For the purposes ofour invention, therefore, the side bars of the elevator-frame may beregarded either as divided into lengths and jointed together at theirends or as single bars extend.- ing from end to end of the elevator.

The rolls E, for upholding the lower leaf of the conveyer -belt, aresupported by hanggers b2, which d'epend from the frame B and afford orare provided with bearings for the journals of such rolls, in which waythe necessity for a couple of side bars arranged below the .bars b as asupport for the rolls E is obviated. As a further feature of improvementin this direction, t-he hangers U2 are bent outwardly at points oppositethe edges of the lower leaf of the conveyer-belt in order to providespace for the edge portions of the lower leaf of the belt and avoidwidening the frame B. InA elevators of the -class to which this relatesit is common to permit the edge portions of the upper leaf of the beltto extend somewhat beyond the ends of its supporting-rolls C and vtooverlap the bars in which the upper rolls are j ournaled in order toprevent such loose soil as may work its way over the edges of the upperleaf of the belt from getting into the boxes o`r bearings for suchrolls. This arrangement has therefore necessitatedl the employment of asecond lower frame made considerably wider than the upper frame andarranged below such upper frame so as to support the rolls that serve touphold the lower leaf of the conveyer-belt; but by our arrangement ofhangers the presence and weight of such lower frame and the bracesrequired to connect it with the upper frame are avoided, and at the sametime ample width of space afv forded for the lower leaf of the beltwithout `nient of parts.

the guards from gettin g onto the lower leaf of the belt, it beingobserved that by such arrangement it is `not necessary to extend theguards down to the level of the lower rolls, E. The side boards, G,which are, as usual, arranged over the conveyer-belt so as to form thesides of a conveyer-trough, are supported from the elevator-frame by thebent stands or arms g. As a simple arrangement of hangers, guards, andarms or stands, said members can be fitted together substantially asshown in Fig; 2, wherein the arms or stands g are arranged against theouter sides of the guards and the upper ends of the hangers arrangedbetween the guards and the sides of the frame, to which said members canbe secured and held together by bolts or rivets passing through thelower ends of the arms g, the middle line of the guard, and the upperend portions of the hangers. lVe do not, however, confine ourselves tothis precise order of securement of said parts, since such order canobviously be reversed or otherwise varied.

The side bars, b, of the elevator-frame preferably diverge somewhat atthe upper end of the elevator, so as to widen the space between theirends to an extent proper for the required length of a large belt-drivingroll, Il, having one ofits journals provided with a sprocket, 7L, forthe endless driving-chain 71f, that is to be driven in any desired way.At the receiving end of the elevator the side bars, l), of theelevator-frame also preferably diverge somewhat, so as to providebetween them ample vspace for a belt-roll, I, and also widen the frameat its receiving end.

The widening of the frame at its delivery end adapts it to receive abelt-roll, H, of suit able length to support the entire width ofconveyer-belt, which, as heretofore observed, has its edge portionsdesirably extended beyond the ends of the idler-rolls C, 4it being,however, desirable that the driving-roll Il should be of such length asto engage the belt across the entire width of the same. By thuslaterally defiecting the end portions of the side bars of the frame atthe delivery end of the elevator, space is provided for the roll H, asaforesaid, while at the same time the bars can along their main lengthsbeset apart at a distance that is but little more than the length of anyone of the rolls C. This Asaving in width of the single frame,comprising but two long side bars or stringers, also involves strengthand permits an efficient arrange- The foregoing statements are alsoapplicable to the widening of the elevator at its receiving' end, wherethe idlerbelt roll I is arranged, and in addition to such it will beseen that said arrangement also bet- IOO IIO

ter adapts the elevator to the usual lateral bar, if", Fig. V5,underneath or in any other suitable way, and, being at the ends of thebars that are thus spread apart, said boxes will be ont of the way ofthe soil that is being delivered from the plow to the conveyer belt. Inolder constructions oi' elevators a scraper for relieving the roll fromany soil which might get onto the same has been hung substantially in aplane parallel with the plane of the conveyer-belt. Such arrangement,however, permitted the earth scraped t'rom the roll to accumulate uponthe scraper, and hence involved a loss ot time in remov-v ing thedeposit. As an improvement in this part of the elevator, a scraper, K,Fig. 4c, is so hung at its ends upon the side bars or bearings attachedto the side bars that it will lie in an inclined plane, and from itsscraping edge, that is next to the roll I, incline downwardly todischarge the scraped-oit earth into a tray or pan, L. This pan isremovably held in position, so that without loss of time it can beremoved and emptied of its contents.

As a means for protecting the lower leaf of the conveyerlbelt at thereceiving end ofthe elevator, a shield, M, is arranged under the lowerleaf of the belt and secured to the elevator-frame. This shield M hereinconsists of a broad sheet-metal plate curled up along its edge that isunderstood to be along the side of the elevator that is nearest thefront end of the machine, in which way its curledup edge portion mserves to prevent stalks and the like from getting in between the leavesof the belt. The curled-up edge portion of the shield M can be securedto one of the side bars h of the frame, while its rear edge can besecured to any blocks or bar at*A tached to the opposite side bar of theframe, or held in any other proper mechanical way.

The removable pan can be temporarily locked in place in any suitableway, the device herein shown for such purpose being simplya hook, Z,hung from one of the side bars and adapted to engage one side of theremovable pan,which at its opposite side can be upheld by any suitablerest, as at m.

The side bars, b, of the elevator-frame may be T-rails or other suitableiianged or unfianged bars, it being understood that, while theemployment ot' T-rails for the side ot the elevator-frame is desirable,any other form of bars can be substituted for the T-rails,which,however, when employed attord exceedingly convenient ledges, both forthe boxes for rolls C and for the ends ot' the brace-bars b.

In grading and ditching-machines it is common to divide theelevator-frame into a plurality ot' sections detachably connectedtogether to form an elevator,wl1ich can be shortened with reference tothe width of the road by removing one or more of the said sections.fhere one or more oi such sections are removed, it becomes necessary toproportionally shorten up the endless conveyer belt. As a means t'orpermitting the belt to be readily shortened, it is composed of suitablelengths, which at their ends are simply connected together byinterlocking fasteners P. These fastening devices may consist of metalplates riveted orotherwise secured to thebelt and provided with bentedge portions, which serve to form hooks. To preventA any independentside shit't ot' the ends ot the belt' lengths at these temporary joints,one ot' the plates can be provided with checks or stops p at the cornersof its hook-shaped edge portion p", Fig. S, while the hook portion p2 otthe other plate can be proportioned in width to engage the hook pbetween said stops,which latter theret'ore prevent any side slip andcause the belt-sections to be held in perfect alignment. With sucharrangement it will be obvious that unich time can be saved in eithershortening or lengthening the belt. It is herein understood that, whilethe belt-tastening devices are particularly designed for what is knownas a rubber or rubbercloth belt, the conveyer-belt may for various otherpurposes of our invention involve other common equivalentconstructions-such, for example, as a slatted belt-and that the hangerscould in such case serve as bearings for such chain-wheels as might besubstituted as equivalents for the belt-rolls.

NVith regard to devices herein illustrated for connecting together thetwo sections of the elevator and t'or raising and lowering the elevatorat such point, no special description of such matters is hereinnecessary, since the same form the subj ect-matter ot certain claims ofapplication, Serial No. 276,743, tor Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, 'filed by Morton G. Bunnell, one of the present applicants, andare herein shown merely to illustrate an elcvator embodying'ourimprovements put up for actual service. It is understood, therefore,that no limitation is herein placed upon the means whereby the elevatorcan be raised or lowered at such point.

That we claim as our invention isl. In a grading and ditching machine,the combination ot' the elevator-frame, comprising a couple ofoppositely-arranged parallel side bars connected to torni a frame, theupper belt-rolls, C, mounted 'upon said frame, the endless convcyer-belthaving its upper leaf supported by said rolls and being throughout itslength ot a width to extend at its edge portionsbeyond the upper rolls,so as to cover their joumal-bearings, and t-he hangers depending fromsaid frame and supporting the lower rolls, .1, by which the lower leat'of the belt is sustained, said hangers being bent outward ly oppositetheedges of the lower leaf ot the belt, substantially as and Vtor thepurpose described.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with theelevator-frame, constructed with a single pair ot' parallel side barsand carrying rolls or the like `t'or upholdingl the vupper leaf ot'the'conveyer-belt, ot' the guard-plate F, secured to sides ot' saidframe, for the purpose described.

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3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with theelevator-frame carrying a set of rolls or the like which support theupper leaf of the endless eonveyerbelt, of the guard-plates F, securedto said frame, and the hangers h2, provided with bearings wherein thejournalsof rolls or like devices that sustain the lower leaf of the beltare mounted.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with theendless eonveyer` bearings upon hangers depending freni the bars, theguards F, and the arms t, supporting the sides Gef theelevator-trough,all oonstrueted and organized substantially asdeseribed. Y,

6. The elevator provided with au endless oonveyer-belt and having theside bars of its frame portion arranged to diverge at the delivery endof the elevator, so as to afford spaee for a belt-driving roll ofsuit-able length, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. The elevator provided with an endless eouveyer-belt and having theside bars of its frame portion arranged to diverge at the receiving endof the elevator, substantially as and for the purpose described.

' JAMES C. BENNETT.

MORTON G. BUN NELL. Yitnessesz L. L. PAGE, A. S. WELLS.

